Reading Disability

Reading Disability A reading disability is a type of learning disability caused by neurological factors that affect the ability of a child to read normally (Safford, 2006). Reading disabilities impair the ability of a person to read according to the expected level.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Reading Disability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A reading disability is also referred to as dyslexia and can affect any child including those with normal levels of intelligence. Children with reading disabilities are faced with a lot of challenges when it comes to learning (Safford, 2006). Children with reading disabilities have persistent difficulties when it comes to using their decoding strategies and therefore completely rely on their whole memory for reading. This affects their fluency in reading and consequently their understanding of text becomes very difficult. Children with reading disabilities read slowly due to their difficultie s with spelling and phonological processing. The visual and verbal response of children with reading disability is also very poor and in the process affects their manipulation of sounds (Hatcher, 1999). The reading accuracy and comprehension of children is normally impaired by the reading disability and therefore affecting their academic life. Students with reading disabilities should be given extra time to complete assignments and examinations. Reading disabilities can be partially inherited or can be caused by physical damage to the brain (Hatcher, 1999). According to research findings, reading disabilities can be caused by gene mutations that lead to writing and reading deficits. Children with visual problems tend to experience reading disorders in many occasions compared to those without visual problems (Hatcher, 1999). The nervous system of a person is very important in coordinating the brain and visual processes.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In case any of the brain and visual processes is interfered with, children are bound to have difficulties with their reading abilities. Children with language deficits may also experience difficulties when reading (Konza, 2006). Neurological difficulties and the impairment of sensory nerves are among the physiological factors that cause reading impairments (Konza, 2006). The reading success of parents is a fundamental hereditary factor that can cause reading disabilities. The intellectual environment created by parents plays a significant role in determining whether their children experience reading disabilities or not (Konza, 2006). Phonological processing and word recognition are in most cases influenced by genetics. Racial identification and other socioeconomic factors can influence the reading abilities of a child. The learning strategies used by learning institutions can also affect the ability of chi ldren to read and comprehend information (Torgesen, 2002). Regular practice is needed for students to sharpen and perfect their reading skills. Children with reading disabilities have certain characteristics that distinguish them from normal children (Torgesen, 2002). Identification of single words is the first difficulty that children with reading difficulties experience. Children with reading disabilities also find it difficult to understand rhymes and other sounds in words. This group of students also experience difficulties with spelling and comprehension of reading materials (Torgesen, 2002). Children with reading disabilities are always unable to read at a faster rate whether silently or orally. Children with reading disabilities may omit or substitute words when reading. The spoken language of children with reading disabilities is normally delayed and their written expression is also very poor. Reading disabilities makes children to be mixed up when it comes to directions and opposites. Decoding syllables is among the major challenges of children with reading disabilities (Konza, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Reading Disability specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reversal of words is a common characteristic of children with reading disabilities. Associating syllables with specific sounds is another problem for children with reading disabilities. The functioning of brain hemispheres affects the reading speed of children. It is important to evaluate the reading abilities of children on a regular basis in order to diagnose any kind of reading disabilities as early as possible (Malmquist, 1958). It is important to consider the fact that reading disabilities are not related to low intelligence. The languages spoken at school and the child’s home are among the things considered when evaluating a child’s reading abilities. Cultural factors and educational opportunities also influence the reading abilities of children. It is possible for a child to compensate for a reading disorder through early intervention (Malmquist, 1958). The severity of a reading disability and the kind of help they receive determine whether the case can be improved or not. The self-esteem of children with reading disabilities is normally very low and the situation can become worse if teachers and the immediate family do not offer their support towards improving the child’s condition. It is possible to overcome a reading disorder if the condition is detected before the child reaches grade three (Konza, 2006). Children with reading disabilities may lack interest in learning activities which leads to poor academic performance. One of the best interventions for children with reading disabilities is to improve their word recognition skills (Konza, 2006). It is important for students with reading disabilities to learn how to recognize real words as the first step towards improv ing their reading abilities (Hatcher, 1999). Teachers should help this group of students to improve their word recognition skills to supplement their sound recognition skills. Phonemic awareness, word attack skills, phonics and decoding are some of the areas that this type of intervention aims at improving (Hatcher, 1999). Teachers and other professionals use direct instructions as the best method of teaching children with reading disabilities word recognition skills.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Direct instructions involve repetition practices that ensure that the children completely perfect their word recognition skills. Regular practice is the key to improving word recognition skills for children with reading disabilities (Safford, 2006). The instructional components of improving word recognition skills include sequencing, segmentation and advanced organizers. The sequencing component involves breaking down reading tasks. This helps in matching students with the level of their reading disability. The teachers arrange for short sessions where students are able to read, review and underline new words in a passage. The second instructional component under this intervention is segmentation where the various skills being taught to students are broken down into segments for quick understanding of the reading tasks. Advanced organizers enable students to get familiar with the learning instructions in advance before the actual lessons (Safford, 2006). It is essential to improve t he comprehension skills of students as they learn how to recognize words. The reading program of children with reading disabilities should be constantly evaluated to ensure the programs deliver the expected results. Children with reading disabilities encounter a lot of challenges and should therefore be given some special attention when it comes to school assignments and examinations (Safford, 2006). It is important to accommodate this group of students for them to feel loved and appreciated. Students with reading disabilities can not compete at the same level with normal students. Their reading speed is slow and this should be compensated by allowing them some extra time to complete their assignments and examinations (Konza, 2006). The level of reading disability should be used to determine the amount of extra time that children with reading disabilities should be added. It would be very unfair and inhuman to expect children with reading disabilities to compete at the same level wi th normal children. According to research findings, children with visual problems have high chances of encountering problems in their reading. The extra time enables children with reading disabilities to understand questions at their speed and be able to answerer them according to their level (Konza, 2006). Children with reading disabilities end up not completing their assignments and examinations in a case where they are not given some extra time. Their reading and writing speed is very slow and therefore can not allow them to finish their assignments and examinations within the normal time (Konza, 2006). In conclusion, reading disabilities are a reality and parents in collaboration with teachers should look for ways of ensuring that children with this kind of disability are given enough support (Torgesen, 2002). Genetic and physiological factors are among the major causes of reading disabilities among children. It is important for parents and teachers to detect any kind of reading disabilities as early as possible so that proper measures can be taken to prevent the situation from getting worse. Helping students with reading disabilities to perfect their word recognition skills is among the basic interventions for children with reading disabilities (Torgesen, 2002). Children with reading disabilities should be given extra time in order to complete assignments and examinations because they can not compete at the same level with normal children (Hatcher, 1999). Accommodating children with reading disabilities helps in improving their self-esteem and academic performance. References Hatcher, P. (1999). Phonemes, rhymes, and intelligence as predictors of children’s responsiveness to remedial reading instruction: Evidence from a longitudinal intervention study. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 72(2), 130-153. Konza, D. (2006). Teaching students with reading difficulties. New York, NY: Cengage Learning Australia. Malmquist, E. (1958). Factors relate d to reading disabilities in the first grade of elementary school. New York, NY: Almqvsit Wiksell. Safford, P. (2006). Children with disabilities in America: A historical handbook and guide. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group. Torgesen, J. (2002). The prevention of reading difficulties. Journal of School Psychology, 40(1), 7-26.